Neck-yoke center



J. N. LINDQUIST.

NECK YOKE CENTER.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 13, 1920.

1,375,920. Patented Apr. 26, 1921.

Ult'llil) JOHN H. LINDQUIST, 0F MABQUETTE, MICHIGAN.

NECK-1 0KB CENTER.

L3Y5,92(l.

Application filed April 13,

T 0 all whom it may concern Be it known that T, JOHN N. LINn UIsr, a citizen of the United States, residing at lilarquette, in the county of Marquette and State of hilichigan, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Neck-Yoke Ce ters, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in neck yoke centers and the method of securing them in position upon the yok s, and has for its particular object to provide such a device which can be manufactured and sold to farmers and blacksmiths in a shape that can be applied to different diameters of roughly constructecfi okes, such. as is usually found in country districts.

Another object is to provide a center which can be easily secured to the yoke in a substantial manner without the use of holding belts or screws, and which will not become loose on the yoke from either con- .stant use or shrinking of the yoke material.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a certain specifically-shaped tool to be used in applying the center to the yoke, so that a farmer or unskilled mechanic, can with this tool and a hammer securely attach the center in place.

These and other objects are attained by the means illustrated in the accompanying drawing, in which Figure 1 is a side elevation of a neck yoke with the center in position, and also a single attaching wedge in position, shown in full lines, to secure the center in place.

Fig. 2 is a transverse section on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a detail longitudinal section, taken on the line 3--8 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a detail perspective view of the attaching wedge, and

Fig. 5 is a transverse section through the center alone showing approximately its shape before its assembly on the yoke.

Figs. 6 and 7 are detail views showing modified forms of wedges.

Similar reference numerals in all of the figures of the drawing designate like parts.

The yoke 5 is hewn, turned or otherwise shaped preferably with an enlarged center portion and tapering ends. The yoke center is preferably formed of malleable iron or soft steel, and comprises a collar 6 which is curved to semi-circular form and has secured to each pair of opposite corners a Specification of Letters Patent.

liatented Apr. 2t 1921.

1920. Serial No. 373,491.

semi-circular metal loop 7 made from suitable material, preferably of circular crosssection. The loops have their ends attached to the plate in any suitable manner, such as brazing or welding, or by rivets passing through the flattened ends 8 thereof, as shown clearly in 1 of the drawing, but preferably the loops and plate are dropforged. The loops are thus spaced apart the longitudinal distance between the corners of the plate and extend transversely of the yoke between opposite corners, and loosely secured in any suitable manner through the loops 7 is pole-ring 10, which is formed with a straight bar 11 that eX- tends longitudinally of the yoke from one loop 7 to the other, and a semi-circular loop 12 which connects with the bar 11 on the outside of the transverse loop 7. A polering of the shape thus described and shown in the drawing has a slight upward movement in the loops 7, and only a slight side swing which is caused by the vehicle contacting with an obstruction, thus avoiding wide side swing which is transmitted to the neck harness and causes the necks of the animals to become chafed and sore from the constant rubbing of the harness.

Collar 6 is formed with slight inturned edges 13 which preferably only extend a portion of the plate and serve to indent into the yoke material, and the ends of these inturned edges form shoulders 1% which pre vent rotary movement of the center on the yokes. Longitudinal inturned edges 15 can also be formed on the lower edges of the collar 6 if desired, which can be used together with the circular inturned edges 13 or alone.

As thus formed, it is intended that the centers be manufactured in quantities by suitable manufacturers and distributed to the trade in the country districts, so that a farmer or blacksmith can secure them and fit them to yokes of their own make. As made and sold by the manufacturers, the centers are preferably wide and open, as shown in Fig. 5 of the drawing, so that they can he slipped upon yoke arms of rough construction and of various diameters.

The method of securing these centers to the yoke arms is an important feature of this invention, and said method is described as follows: The unskilled mechanic heats the center to a brown red and then slips it in position upon the yoke arm. The brown red heat is not sufficient to burn the wood, but makes the metal material of the center slightly bendable, so that it will conform to the shape of the exterior of the yoke arms hen pressure is applied. After the center has been slipped upon the yoke arm, a particularly formed wedge :20 is inserted through the loops 7 and against the underside of the yoke arms and driven home. The pressure oi the wedge bends the collar around the yoke arm into tight engagement therewith and buries the slightly inturned edges oil the collar in the wood, then after this part of the operation, the center is preterably struck a sharp blow with any suitable tool at points near the rivet 8 on each side to bend the intermediate portion of the center farther inwardly below the yoke arm. After the metal of the center cools, the wedge is withdrawn.

\Vedge 20 is preferably formed of iron tool-steel and is provided with a longitudinal groove 21 which is adapted to en gage over the bar 11 and move thereon when it is being driven to wedging position, thus guiding it in a straight line, and is also provided with a notch in its driving end to form a houlder 22 to be used in withdrawing it from wedging position. his avoids using the front end for releasing the wedge.

hen only one wedge is used, shown in Fig. 1, it is withdrawn before the metal of the center entirely cools, and is then driven through the other side, and while this method of using only one wedge is sufiicient for all general purposes, to secure better results, preferably two wedges are used, as shown in Fig. 6. Where two wedges are used they can be short with squared ends, as shown at 18 in Fig. 7 which would make them exactly alike, or the ends could be inclined as shown at 19 in Fig. 6 so that they would slide one upon the other. A plate 23 can be used on the underside of the yoke-arm to prevent wear by the wedges when the center is being placed, or by the pole-ring when the yoke-arm is being used.

Having thus fully described the invention, what is claimed is 1. In a neckoke, a center embodying a collar partially surrounding the yoke arm and mbedded therein throughout its area by pressure, 'ransyerse loops connecting opposite corners of said collar, and a pole-ring suspended from said transverse loops and provided with a straight bar extending from one loop to the other.

2. In a neck-yoke, a center embodying a collar partially surrounding the yoke arm and embedded therein throughout its are by pressure and provided with continuous slightly inturned end edges adapted to be pressed into the material of said yoke arm, transverse loops connecting opposite corners of said collar, and a pole-ring suspended from said transverse loops and provided with a straight bar extending from one loop to the other.

In a neck-yoke, a center embodying a collar partially surrounding the yoke arm and embedded therein throughout its area by pressure and provided with continuous slightly inturned end edges and intermediate longitudinal. edges adapted to be pressed into the material oi said yoke arm, transverse loops connecting opposite corners of said collar, and a pole-ring suspended from said transverse loops and provided with a straight bar extending from one loop to the other.

l. A neck-yoke having a center embodying a collar-plate supported in a depression in the yoke arm, said depression being formed by forcibly bending the collar with suilicient pressure into engagement with the yoke arm to cause the collar to compress the material "forming the yolre arm.

in testimony whereof I affix my si nature.

JOHN N. Lmnoiiisr. 

